Milwaukee Cylinder

What Milwaukee Cylinder does

Milwaukee Cylinder, founded in 1956 and headquartered in Cudahy, Wisconsin, is a privately held industrial manufacturer specializing in hydraulic and pneumatic tie-rod cylinders, power units, boosters, accumulators, and industrial manipulators. The company serves industrial equipment manufacturers, distributors, and end-users across verticals including metal processing, oil and gas, energy, food processing, specialty machinery, and foundry/die casting. Its core catalog spans seven main cylinder series covering NFPA and ISO standards at pressures ranging from 170 PSI air service to 5,000 PSI hydraulic, with bore sizes up to 16 inches.

The company's technology platform centers on proprietary innovations including the patent-pending ARC (Automatic Recirculating Cylinder) piston design that extends cylinder life by 25%+, the ICB Series integrating counterbalance valves into H-Series cylinders, the Vulcan Series for high-temperature applications up to 500°F, and digital service features (Electronic Service Tag, RFID, smart position sensing). These are supported by the MilCad 3D Configurator, a self-serve tool for configuring Series H, LH, and A cylinders and generating parametric 2D/3D CAD models. The facility is ISO 9001:2015 certified with ABS and CE compliance available for specialty orders.

Milwaukee Cylinder operates an exclusively distributor-based go-to-market model with a Find A Distributor tool on its website and a network spanning the U.S., Canada, Australia, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, and Southeast Asia. Revenue is generated through quote-based hardware sales across standard products, custom-engineered 'specials,' and complementary power units, boosters, accumulators, and manipulators. The Quick-Ship program offers next-day, 5-day, and 10-day delivery tiers. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; the company provides no public revenue, headcount, or ownership data.

Name

Milwaukee Cylinder

Legal name

Milwaukee Cylinder

Website

http://www.milwaukeecylinder.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Milwaukee Cylinder is a privately held, ISO 9001:2015-certified U.S. manufacturer of hydraulic and pneumatic tie-rod cylinders, power units, and industrial manipulators, founded in 1956 and serving OEM and end-user customers across metal processing, oil and gas, energy, food processing, and specialty machinery via an exclusive global distributor network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hydraulic and Pneumatic Industrial Cylinders

NAICS

Fluid Power Cylinder and Actuator Manufacturing (333995), Fluid Power Valve and Hose Fitting Manufacturing (332912), Fluid Power Pump and Motor Manufacturing (333996)

akta.pro primary industry

Pneumatic Components (FRLs, Cylinders, Valves) (IMAHAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Filling & Dosing Machines (Liquid/Powder/Solid) (IMAHAOAF)

Keywords

• Hydraulic cylinders
• Pneumatic cylinders
• Fluid power solutions
• Tie-rod cylinders
• Industrial actuators

Headquarters

HQ city

Cudahy

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Standard Hydraulic Cylinders: Standard NFPA tie-rod hydraulic cylinders including Series H for heavy-duty applications (3000 PSI hydraulic service, 5000 PSI non-shock service), Series LH for low pressure applications (750-1500 PSI).
2. Standard Pneumatic Cylinders: Standard pneumatic cylinders including Series A (steel, 250 PSI air service) and Series MA (aluminum, lightweight and corrosion-resistant).
3. Custom/Special Cylinders: Custom engineered cylinder solutions for specific application requirements. Products include Adjustable Stroke Cylinders, Adjustable Stop Cylinders, Heavy-Duty non-tie rod cylinders (5000 PSI continuous operation), Controlled Rotating Cylinders, and Tilt System Cylinders.
4. Power Units and Valves: Vertical power units with gear pumps (3000 psi), valve pumps (2000 psi), gear/vane/piston pumps. Electric, diesel, gas driven options. Custom built for application with multiple reservoir styles and full line of directional valves.
5. Industrial Manipulators: Pow'r Arm (up to 2,000 pounds load capacity) and Pow'r Reach (250 lb or 750 lb capacity, 58-inch vertical travel, 8.5-foot reach, 350 degree rotation). Self-contained power supply units.
6. Boosters and Accumulators: Pressure boosters for intermittent high pressure applications, air oil tanks, and accumulators for improved system efficiency.
7. Cylinder Accessories: Clevis/brackets/pins/rod eyes, linear alignment couplers, AMLOK rod clamps, flange couplers and weld plates, spherical rod accessories.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Milwaukee Cylinder designs, manufactures, and sells standard and custom hydraulic and pneumatic tie-rod cylinders (NFPA and ISO standard), power units, boosters, accumulators, and industrial manipulators. Core products span Series H, MH, LH, A, MA, MD/MT, and MR cylinders, complemented by proprietary technologies such as ARC (Automatic Recirculating Cylinder), ICB (Integrated Counterbalance Valves), Vulcan Series (high temperature), and Electronic Service Tag (NFC/QR). The company emphasizes engineered custom solutions under the tagline 'Specials Are Our Standard.'

Product overview

Milwaukee Cylinder is an industrial manufacturer specializing in hydraulic and pneumatic actuation products established in 1956. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of NFPA and ISO standard tie-rod cylinders across seven main series: Series H (heavy-duty hydraulic up to 3000 PSI), Series MH (metric hydraulic to ISO standards), Series LH (low-pressure hydraulic), Series A (pneumatic steel), Series MA (pneumatic aluminum), Series MD/MT (twin rod non-rotating), and Series MR (stainless steel for food processing). These core cylinder products are complemented by proprietary technologies including ARC (Automatic Recirculating Cylinder) for extending cylinder life, ICB (Integrated Counterbalance Valves) for load holding, and the Vulcan Series for high-temperature applications up to 500°F. Supporting products include custom power units, boosters, accumulators, industrial manipulators (Pow'r Arm and Pow'r Reach), and comprehensive accessories. The company also provides digital tools including MilCad 3D Configurator for CAD model generation and an Electronic Service Tag system with QR/NFC technology for maintenance tracking. With the tagline 'Specials are Our Standard,' Milwaukee Cylinder emphasizes both standard catalog products and custom-engineered solutions for demanding industrial applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ARC Technology: Patent-pending Automatic Recirculating Cylinder technology that allows oil to recirculate through the cylinder when reaching end of stroke, removing stagnant oil and extending cylinder life by 25% or more.
• ICB Series
• Vulcan Series
• Electronic Service Tag
• Pow'r Arm
• Pow'r Reach
• MilCad
• DuroTech

Products and services

• Series H - Heavy Duty Hydraulic Tie Rod Cylinders NFPA tie-rod hydraulic cylinders rated for 3000 PSI service (5000 PSI non-shock), available in 1.5 to 12 inch bores with multiple mounting styles, hard chrome plated piston rods, bronze bearings, and 100% tested seal integrity. For industrial equipment manufacturers and OEMs requiring heavy-duty hydraulic actuation.
• Series MH - Metric Hydraulic Tie Rod Cylinders ISO Standard 6020/2 160 bar series hydraulic cylinders with working pressures up to 210 bar, designed for 25mm to 200mm bores with metric mounting specifications. For global industrial OEMs requiring metric-spec hydraulic actuation.
• Series LH - Low Pressure Hydraulic Tie Rod Cylinders Low pressure hydraulic cylinders rated for 750 to 1500 PSI service. Lightweight design with 1.5 to 6 inch bores and full range of NFPA mounting styles. For low-pressure industrial hydraulic applications.
• Series A - Pneumatic Steel Tie Rod Cylinders Pneumatic cylinders rated for 250 PSI air service with durable steel construction, available in 1.5 to 16 inch bores. For rigorous industrial pneumatic applications.
• Series MA - Pneumatic Aluminum Tie Rod Cylinders Lightweight aluminum construction pneumatic cylinders with corrosion resistance, hard coat anodized aluminum tubes, 1.5 to 10 inch bores. Replaces previous Series MN. For lightweight corrosion-resistant pneumatic applications.
• Series MD/MT - Twin Rod Non-Rotating Cylinders Twin rod design cylinders providing enhanced torque handling and stability for non-rotational applications. Available in stainless steel and aluminum construction with integrated tooling plate for 1.5 to 4 inch bores.
• Series MR - Stainless Steel Cylinders All-stainless round body cylinders with threaded repairable design, smooth OD with no external tie rods, 170 PSI air service rating. For food processing and hygiene-sensitive applications.
• ARC Technology - Automatic Recirculating Cylinder Patent-pending proprietary technology built into H-Series pistons that recirculates oil through the cylinder at end-of-stroke, extends cylinder life by 25% or more, and provides automatic deaeration and cylinder cooling.
• ICB Series - Integrated Counterbalance Valves Integrated Counterbalance Valve cylinders combining H-Series hydraulic cylinders with counterbalance valve technology. Factory-set load holding pressure for superior load holding and precise control of over-center movement.
• Vulcan Series - High Temperature Cylinders High temperature cylinder solutions for environments up to 500°F featuring high temperature Viton and PTFE seals, water-cooled cylinders and bearings, and rod boots. For foundries and die casting applications.
• Electronic Service Tag (EST) QR Code/NFC tag technology providing cell phone access to cylinder nameplate data, service information, seal kit quotes, and replacement cylinder ordering. Available on H, MH, LH and A-series cylinders.
• Power Units Custom-built vertical power units with gear pumps (3000 psi), vane/piston pumps, electric/diesel/gas drive options, multiple reservoir styles, and full line of directional valves, accessory valves, and manifolds.
• Boosters and Accumulators Pressure boosters for intermittent high pressure applications from low-pressure air sources, air oil tanks for oil supply and air venting, and accumulators for improved system efficiency.
• Industrial Manipulators Material handling equipment including Pow'r Arm (up to 2,000 lb capacity with self-contained power supply) and Pow'r Reach (250 lb or 750 lb capacity with 350 degree rotation, 58 inch vertical travel, 8.5-foot reach).
• Custom Application Cylinders Custom cylinder solutions including adjustable stroke, adjustable stop, nose mounted, heavy-duty (5,000 psi continuous), controlled rotating, and tilt system cylinders for unique application requirements.
• Tie Rod Cylinder Accessories Cylinder mounting and support accessories including clevis/brackets/pins/rod eyes, linear alignment couplers, AMLOK rod clamps (spring-powered power-off clamping), flange couplers, weld plates, and spherical rod accessories.
• QUICK-SHIP Program Expedited shipping program offering next day (break-down service with expedite fee), 5 day (standard products), and 10 day (large cylinders) delivery for Series H, Series LH, and Series A cylinders.

Quantifiable outcome

• 25% or more increase in cylinder life with ARC Technology
• +2 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Distributor NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMilwaukee Cylinder sells exclusively through a distributor network. The distributor network offers exceptional local application support with a searchable database on the company website. Distribution covers U.S. states and international countries including Australia, Canada, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, Southeast Asia, and Singapore.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Parker Hannifin: One of the largest global fluid power manufacturers with extensive hydraulic and pneumatic cylinder product lines. Parker competes head-to-head with Milwaukee Cylinder across NFPA tie-rod cylinders, custom actuation and integrated valves, particularly in heavy industrial and mobile hydraulic segments.
• Bosch Rexroth: Global fluid power leader offering hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders, power units and integrated actuation solutions. Competes with Milwaukee Cylinder in NFPA and ISO tie-rod cylinders for industrial machinery, with comparable custom-engineering capabilities.
• Festo: Specialist in pneumatic automation including tie-rod pneumatic cylinders, actuators and valve packages. Festo serves comparable OEM and end-user customers with similar 'standard plus custom' solutions and competes most directly with Milwaukee Cylinder's Series A and Series MA pneumatic products.
• SMC Corporation: World's largest pneumatic components manufacturer with broad tie-rod and ISO pneumatic cylinder offerings. SMC overlaps directly with Milwaukee Cylinder Series A and MA, particularly in factory automation and light industrial applications.
• IMI plc: Global motion and fluid control group including Bimba, Norgren and IMI Precision Engineering. The Bimba and IMI cylinder lines compete head-to-head with Milwaukee Cylinder in NFPA hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders and engineered custom solutions across industrial machinery.
• HYDAC International: Manufacturer of hydraulic components including cylinders, accumulators, valves and power units. HYDAC's hydraulic cylinder and integrated valve portfolio overlaps with Milwaukee Cylinder's H-Series, ICB counterbalance cylinders and power units.
• Camozzi Automation: Italian pneumatics and motion control manufacturer with ISO tie-rod cylinders, valves and integrated actuation. Camozzi competes with Milwaukee Cylinder Series MH metric hydraulic and Series MA pneumatic products for industrial OEM customers.
• Emerson (ASCO / Aventics): Emerson's pneumatics business (ASCO and Aventics) manufactures pneumatic cylinders, actuators and valves. Directly competes with Milwaukee Cylinder Series A, MA and stainless Series MR in food processing and industrial pneumatic applications.

Broad incumbents

• Eaton: Large industrial conglomerate with a fluid power division offering hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders, valves and power units. Eaton serves similar end-markets to Milwaukee Cylinder but as part of a much broader electrical, vehicle and aerospace portfolio.

Regional players

• KYB Corporation: Japanese hydraulic and shock absorber manufacturer with industrial hydraulic cylinder offerings. KYB is comparable in NFPA/ISO tie-rod cylinder technology and serves similar industrial machinery customers but primarily through Asia-Pacific distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCX1oGdt3wIUn7iw6136c7ww
• Facebookfacebook.com/Milwaukee-Cylinder-1226235734087533
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/milwaukee-cylinder

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Milwaukee Cylinder